Holy Cross Wilderness or Powderhorn Wilderness

[Bowhuntrben]

I am seeking the advice of all you Colorado guys!
I will be heading to Colorado sometime in mid-August. I plan to go camping/hiking/fishing with my dad and cousin for a week.
My cousin mentioned possibly going to Holy Cross Wilderness (Missouri Lakes Basin) or Powderhorn Wilderness (Powderhorn Lakes). Have any of you ever been to either of these areas, and would you recommend them for a fishing trip?
My fear with the Holy Cross Wilderness is that it is close to Vail and might get a lot of traffic, but maybe this won't be so bad during the week? It looks nice as far as there being a lot of different lakes to fish.
Powderhorn looks like there aren't as many places to fish, and from what I've read, the upper lake has winter kill fairly often. Does anybody know how bad the kill was this last winter? On the positive side to Powderhorn, it seems like there wouldn't be a lot of other people there.
I am also considering bringing my big camera in case I see some critters (elk, deer, sheep). Would you recommend this in these areas, or am I not real likely to see anything? The Colorado Hunting Atlas shows bighorns to concentrate in Holy Cross, but I don't know how accurate it is.
Any advice you guys have on these areas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Pagosa]

I would recommend the Weminuche from Wolf Creek to Bayfield area. Not many lakes, but great stream fishing. Vallecito, Los Pinos, and Piedra creeks all have good fishing. You might see bighorns, moose, lynx. Elk and deer will be common in the wilderness. Hot springs are nice too. Should be way less people as holy cross. The only real problem is wet weather/lightning. It can get crazy up there.

 

[Mudranger1]

Isn't wolf creek on fire?

 

[Pagosa]

I think its South Fork and south San Juan. It could plow thru South Fork anytime.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

Thanks Pagosa! I will have to look into that!

 

[Pagosa]

There are serious fires by wolf creek and south fork currently, so the eastern side of the wilderness could burn. The Sand Creek fire burned a large area of the primitive area too last summer.